Chelsea have begun their 2024/25 season under Enzo Maresca in a reasonable fashion.
At present, they sit in eighth position in the Premier League, with two wins, one draw and a loss from their opening four games.
After a trip to West Ham at the weekend, they have four home games in a row to really cement their new way of working under the Italian.
Fabrizio Romano provides specific update on Chelsea ace
Barrow shouldn’t provide too many problems for the Blues in the Carabao Cup, with English top-flight fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest sandwiching their debut in the Europa Conference League against Gent.
Come through that period relatively unscathed, and Maresca can begin to move forward with his plans for the club.
That’s unlikely to include moving Mykhailo Mudryk on, however. Though the Ukrainian continues to underperform, he remains part of the future of the club.
TeamTalk suggested that Mudryk could be one of a few players to leave Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window, but transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, has shut down the rumours.
“There’s absolutely zero truth in the story that Mykhailo Mudryk wants to leave Chelsea,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.
“Mudryk has not made any decision to leave, and there are no talks taking place with any club.
“Full focus remains on Chelsea and on doing his best under Maresca, while Chelsea also hope to see him at his best soon.
“So there’s really nothing in this ‘story’ – I don’t even know where this is coming from to be fair.”
It’s clear that the winger does need to up his game, however, if he wants to earn a starting spot in Maresca’s XI.
The Italian has already shown a strong hand in terms of his man-management, with both Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell two players that will attest to Maresca’s directness if he’s not getting what he wants.
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